Nikon D600 Teardown

Hey, guess what? Time for another camera teardown! Today we bring you the saucy internals of a Nikon D600. This "entry level" full-frame camera is chock-full of goodies, just like SLRs we've torn down in the past.
And just like previous SLRs, the D600 is a bear to take apart. The guts are a maze of cables, connectors, and soldered wires. Think we're exaggerating? See for yourself:

In true SLR fashion, the D600 scored a very low 2 out of 10 repairability score, as most components almost require a certification in soldering in order to properly remove. The sole standout is the somewhat easy-to-remove tripod mount, held in place with four #00 screws.

Highlights:

* Chipworks helped us identify the sensor inside the D600. It's a Sony unit that measures 35.9mm x 24.0mm. Chipworks made a full writeup regarding the sensor on their end.

* Multiple hidden screws hold the body of the D600 intact. We found the little Phillips buggers hiding under the eye cup, rubber grip, and viewfinder diopter dial, in addition to the exposed screws residing on the bottom cover.

* It's nice to see that the D600 tripod mount comes out separately from the rest of the body. It would be a shame to compromise a $2,100 camera just because the mount becomes cross-threaded.

* The depth-of-field preview and function buttons both lay inside the front case underneath two rubber covers. Though not a common repair, replacing these buttons is certainly feasible.

* The battery grip also pops off somewhat easily. That's another component where replacement is feasible, which is great news for photographers who grip tightly to their SLR and wear it out prematurely.

* We were disappointed to find that the LCD is fused to the rear case, and cannot be swapped without replacing the entire back of the camera. If you crack the LCD on an older Nikon SLR like the D90, it's possible to find an inexpensive replacement and fix it yourself. With the fused LCD, though, D600 users will definitely want to opt for some type of screen protection.

* Luckily, the main EMI shield is removed by simply unscrewing some Phillips screws, and does not require any desoldering. A large square of thermal compound also tips us off that this shield works double duty as a heat sink, removing any excess heat from the D600's motherboard.

* We were relieved to find an insulated rubber cover on the beefy 350 µF flash capacitor, protecting us against what could have been a dangerous shock. Just in case it wasn't so welcoming, we were ready with our capacitor discharge tool -- always a good idea when dealing with large capacitors. Trust us, we speak from experience.